Dreams Are For the Living
by gosonny
Summary: Bella is set on becoming a vampire, but a heartfelt talk with Alice and Edward leads to a another compromise.


**Hello every one. This is my first fanfic. English is not my first language so please don't be so harsh. Hope you enjoy. If you have suggestions for me to better my writing please let me know. This is written after the movies, I have not read the books yet but I will soon.**

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Edward watches as Bella sleeps. She is beneath the blanket, her dark hair in her face. He breathes in her scent, his mind running wild as he remembers the feeling of his lips against her flesh, and the taste of her blood. Next to him, Bella stirs. He looks down at her.

What does she dream about ? Him he supposes, but what else ? Does she dream about leaving her human family behind, does she dream about the future? Perhaps she dreams of already missing her family. Some times it is so frustrating, not knowing what she is thinking.

Some where in the quiet house a clock ticks. The others are busying themselves, reading or watching television or just enjoying each other's company. Charlie will soon be home and find Bella missing. Edward hopes Bella will change her mind, but she is stubborn. He does not believe she fully understands what she will be giving up if she becomes a vampire.

Bella sighs and her arm goes around Edwards waist. She buries her face in his shirt, the chill does not seem to bother her. He waits until she is still to gently stroke her hair from her face.

"Edward?" She says, sleepy.

"You were dreaming?" he asks, a long lazy smirk on his face.

"Yeah," she says tiredly. She sits up and rubs her arms, as if she is cold. "I guess."

"I haven't dreamed in so long," Edward, says his arms behind his head. He looks up at the ceiling. "Some times I think I have forgot what dreaming is."

Bella looks at him in the dark. "You don't dream," she says quietly. "… and neither will I."

"No," a female voice says from the doorway. Edward and Bella turn to see Alice standing there. "Not if you become like us."

Edward looks at her confused, but she walks over to them and meets his eyes, projecting her thoughts to him: /She will change her mind/

Edward pauses and receives her message, and then turns to Bella, smiling. "Since we don't sleep we don't dream."

Alice sits down on the bed. "My premonitions are sort of like daydreams," she says. "but neither are not the same as having real dreams."

Bella fidgets with the blanket, not meeting their eyes. "Some people don't even remember their dreams." She shrugs.

Alice lays back onto the bed, throwing her arms over her head. She shuts her eyes and grins.

"Some times I think I dream," she says wistfully.

"What do you mean?" Bella asks.

Edward just smiles.

"Some times I feel like… I'm not here, like I'm some where else. Things feel…"

"Different." Edward finishes for her. "Not real."

Alice sits up. "It might not be dreaming, but it's the closest I have come in more then a hundred years."

"It's something you can't really understand until it happens," Edward says. He smiles again, but his eyes are sad. "It is not so bad, at least we don't have night mares."

Alice smiles, too, but it fades and disappears. She sits up and sits cross legged on the bed, taking Bella's hand. "Can I ask you something?"

Bella nods. "Ok."

"Why do you want this?"

Bella says defensively, "I thought you voted yes, Alice."

"I did. I just want to understand why you would want this."

"You know why. Both of you know why. I can't believe you are trying to talk me out of this."

Edward mirrors Alices' expression of concern. "All I want is for you to be happy."

Bella frowns. "I am happy. When I am with you." And pulls her hand from Alices.

"Once you are like us, there is no going back," he warns, opening his eyes again. "Things change. Forever."

"No more enjoying a salad or a glass of wine," Alice interrupts. "No more sleeping. No more dreams," she finishes quietly.

"You check the weather religiously to make sure you can do something as simple as step foot outside," Edward continues, sounding bitter. "You have to feed. Something has to die for you to continue existing..."

"I have already made my mind up." Bella pulls the blankets away."You can not change it by trying to scare me."

"I thought as much," Edward sighs.

"Bella, what ever you decide you will have our full support, but please, just wait a while. Think about it. Ok?" Alice retreats from the room, not giving Bella time to reply.

"She cares about you," Edward reminds Bella, holding his arm open.

Bella looks away and folds her arms, but soon is beside him, wrapped in a tight hug.  
"I just wish people would stop trying to change my mind," she mutters, playfully trying to twist out of his grasp.

He chuckles and buries his face in her neck, sighing. He rocks her side to side, drinking in her scent again. "I don't want you to die before you live life, Bella. Not like me."

Bella is sullen, leaning back against Edward and silent.

Edward wonders how this can ever work.

"I have a idea," Bella says suddenly.

"What?"

"A compromise."

"Bella-"

"I will make a list of things I want to do… 'before I die'," she says awkwardly, "and you won't change me until the list is done."

"What about the date that was set?" Edward asks.

Bella shrugs. "If the list isn't done, then it will have to wait. But you can't add to the list, only I can. And if it takes me a year or a month or a couple of weeks, it is my decision, not yours."

Edward is silent for a long while.

"After you change, there will be things you can no longer do, even if you are immortal…" he warns her. "So make this list matter."

"I will," she agrees, closing her eyes and leaning into him. "Alice knew I was going to change my mind. That is why she was here. Wasn't it?"

Edward laughs. "Yes. I told you she cares about you."

They sit like this for a long while, until Edward says, "I better get you home. If you aren't there when Charlie gets back he's not going to be happy."

But Bella does not move. He nudges her gently but she sighs. She is asleep. Edward shakes his head and smiles. He picks her up and begins to carry her down the stairs. He will let her sleep as he drives her home, it is the least he can do, he thinks, to let her dream for as long as she is able. 


End file.
